The Second Time Around
by Rory4
Summary: ON HOLD. "Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while." If two people are meant to be together, not even fate can stop them. For Jack and Rose, love will always triumph over circumstance.
1. Familiar

**The Second Time Around**

**A/n: So, hi. I know my _Clara Dawson_ readers are probably wondering what the heck I'm doing writing a new continuing story for _Titanic_, but the plot wouldn't leave me alone, and I really wanted to try this story out. No worries though, I'm also working on the newest chapter for _Clara_ and it'll be up before Christmas. Anyway. You know, I never thought that I would ever write a Present Day fic for Titanic. It never appealed to me. But as soon as I got this idea, I couldn't resist. It's sort of a past-meets-present kind of fic, anyway. You'll eventually see what I mean. It took me a few days to write this chapter, and even though I'm still not happy with it, I'd like a general opinion about the story idea. So, please, if you read this, let me know what you think (things you like, things that can change, etc.) Anyway I'll stop rambling now. Thanks guys.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing Titanic, or any tabloids or The Princess Bride quote in the summary. No suing.**

**Chapter One**

There was no room for her to lay down her beach chair and tan. The Santa Monica State Beach was teeming with life and sound, and about a million of her peers soaking up the hot July sun. Collette Rose sighed, and kicked the pristine sand with a French manicured foot. So much for spending a day lounging around and reading a good book. She'd have to come back later, when she wouldn't have to step over topless tanners wherever she turned.

Collette usually preferred to come early in the morning, anyway. Early morning was when she could watch the dolphins frolic in the waves of the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Even join them on days she was feeling particularly confident with her swimming abilities. But, today she'd had to spend her morning applying for jobs at every designer clothing boutique and exclusive restaurant imaginable.

The Princess of California, as the tabloids had dubbed her, wanted to get a job, but her father insisted that if she absolutely _must_ work this summer, that she only do so at the most _in_ _vogue_ places. Hell, she wouldn't have minded working in a fast food restaurant, so long as she was able to start saving up some money that was all her own. Money that wasn't linked to her tycoon father _the_ John Michael Rose in any way, shape or form. But, only the best for _his_ little girl, he'd said.

Why did he always make her sound like a possession?

Collette sighed and combed slender fingers through her blond streaked, bright red hair. She couldn't wait until she started college in the fall. Paris was about as far away from her father as she could get. Unless she went to Timbuktu, of course. Sure, the paparazzi would follow her around wherever she went, but since her father rarely had business in France and didn't much care for the place anyway, it was her best chance to see him as little as possible. She wanted to be independent of him, once and for all.

Good thing she spoke French fluently, or she'd be screwed.

When she finally managed to step off the beach, the Pier came into view. She didn't know what it was about the thing, but she'd always loved it from the time she was small. Something about it drew her in. Probably the huge roller coaster, she thought derisively.

As she walked along, Collette never once raised an eyebrow at the stares she attracted. She knew it wasn't because of the scrap of a bikini she was wearing, but because virtually everyone knew just who she was. Her photo was in _Esquire_ nearly five days out of the week. Ugh, maybe it wouldn't be so bad in Paris. A lot of well known lived there. Surely, she would be no big deal. At least she hoped so. If there was anything she hated more than heights, it was the spotlight. She just wasn't an attention whore like most of the people she hung around with, and never would be.

It was dusk by the time she needed rest. Taking a large swig from her water bottle, she sat down on an unoccupied bench and stared down into the water lapping at the Pier. The temperature had gone down into the 70s and the breeze blowing over her face was soothing. That water would be _so_ nice right now…

A quick look over her shoulder told Collette that no one was around. So, if she were to just, you know, jump off the Pier, no one would notice.

Collette considered the idea for a minute, and with her blue-green eyes gleaming bright with anticipation, gave into her impulse. She'd dropped her stuff off in her car along with her chair earlier, so she didn't have to worry about leaving anything behind.

She put one leg, and then the other over the metal railing, and then sat down on it. She stared down into the murky gray water for a few minutes, knowing it was going to be deep. The idea thrilled her. Her body was zinging with adrenaline as she loosened her grip on the railing. She closed her eyes, ready to take the plunge…

"Don't do it."

Collette jumped, startled at the sound of the unexpected voice. She turned her head with a sheepish grin on her face, all ready with an excuse. _Oh, don't worry; I'm not trying to commit suicide or anything…_

The grin slowly fell from her face when her eyes locked with a pair of arresting blue orbs. Not only could they rival the ocean on a cloudless day, but there was something distinctly _familiar_ about them. They registered recognition from somewhere deep inside of her. And the way his blond hair was falling into his eyes sent a pang through her heart. It was an achingly bittersweet feeling. What in the world was going on? She'd never laid eyes on this stranger before.

"Uh, h-hi. I was just-"

"Look, just give me your hand so I can get you down from there."

His tone was brass and impatient, and any feelings of déjà vu fled. She frowned. Well, if he was going to be a jerk about it…

"Don't tell me what to do. You know what? Just go away. You're distracting me."

With that, Collette simply turned her back to him, ending all conversation right there. Or so she thought.

"I can't do that. If you jump, I'm gonna have to jump in there after you. And believe me; I've done enough swimming today."

Collette fairly growled, "It's not even that high up! If it was, I wouldn't be up here. And I'm a good swimmer, so you've got nothing to worry-"

"I'm not stupid. I know you're not planning on swimming. So, stop trying to-"

"I _am_ going swimming you idiot. And I hardly need you to save me from the doggie paddle."

She didn't know how she knew it with her back to him, but he smirked when she said that.

"Okay, well if you're not about to kill yourself, why don't you rethink that swim? A storms coming."

Collette automatically looked to the sky, and when she saw that it was ominously light with rain clouds, barely bit back a groan.

"Dammit, that figures. Well, this time I'll give in. Swimming in the dark is fine, but a thunderstorm is another thing entirely."

She felt him reach out his hand to her. Her body tensed as tight as a bow. She hesitated. There was the déjà vu again. She felt as if she'd done this before. But, Collette knew she had never been 'rescued' by a jerky knight in shining armor on the Santa Monica Pier in the middle of the night before. She sensed that if she took his hand now, her life was never going to be the same again. But, since when had she been one to shy away from change?

When she put her hand in his, electricity shot up her arm; warmth seeped its way through her body. He must have felt it too, because he looked her right in the eye as she turned towards him. Butterflies began doing the jig in her stomach. This was getting a little freaky.

"I'm Carter, by the way. Carter Jackson."

Collette's brow furrowed at his last name. "Jackson? That name...have we met before?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so. But, how can I know if I don't know _your_ name?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. Collette Rose."

"_The_ Collette Rose? Wow, I'll have to get you to sign an autograph or somethin'."

She laughed at the teasing note in his voice. "You going to help me over or what?"

He laughed now. "Yeah, c'mon."

As she was about to step over the railing, her Adidas slipped right out from under her. Collette let out a small squeak as her hand slipped out of Carter's, and she began to fall towards the water.

One minute she was free falling, the next she was dangling in mid air. When she opened eyes that had instinctively squeezed shut, she saw Carter leaning far over the railing, his teeth gritted as he held onto her wrist. Oh, thank God.

"Okay, I lied. I don't want to go swimming anymore." She tried to make her voice sound light and airy, but instead it came out breathy and anxious.

Carter picked up on it. "Look, like you said, it's not that high up. You can get back up here easily. Just calm down."

"Easy for you to say! _You_ don't have insanely deep water rushing around under you!"

"Look, I promise I've got you, and I won't let go. You're not gonna fall, okay? Now c'mon, help me pull you up."

After a bit of struggling and a lot of leg kicking, Collette managed to get her knees onto the Pier. As she stood up, Carter grasped her under the arms, and swung her over the railing. They both fell on to the bench, panting.

"I feel like such an idiot," Collette said, when she managed to catch her breath.

"You shouldn't," Carter dismissed between gasps. "Jumping is one thing, fallings' another."

"Yeah, well either way…thanks."

They looked at each other in the darkness. The waves stopped crashing against the shore, and a car alarm stopped blaring in the distance. It was only the two of them and this out-of-nowhere connection, that seemed strangely as old as time, between them. And then the world came back in surround sound as Collette looked uncomfortably away.

Carter sighed. "It was nothing. But, look I'd better get going. The gym calls."

When Collette gave him a strange look, he explained. "I go everyday after work. Remember when I said I've done enough swimming today? I'm a life guard down on the beach."

"Oh, that explains the bright red shorts. I'm looking for a job myself."

He raised a brow at her. "_You_, getting a job?"

"Don't look at me like that. Yeah, I want a job. Some people don't want to live under Daddy's thumb for their _entire_ lives."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry. You just seem like one of those party hardy girls."

"Party hardy? Who says that? And no, I'm hardly that. Don't believe everything you read Mr. Jackson."

"Call me Carter. And I guess you're right."

She nodded. "I know I am."

Carter laughed. "But you _are_ full of yourself. I hope to see you around, Miss-"

"Collette."

"Collette. You should get yourself home. Looks like there's gonna be a down pour."

As he turned to walk away, clearly unsure of what else to say after all that had happened, she called to him.

"Hey, uh, do you want my phone number? In case you ever, you know, want to talk or something?"

She was surprised when he whipped out his cell phone. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Collette knew that she was going to be counting every second until he finally called.

**A/n: Okay, so the beginning is a little unclear & slow…I'm going to re-write it I think. But besides that, what do you guys think? And trust me, there's going to be more to it than meets the eye.**

**-Rory4**


	2. Meant to Be

**The Second Time Around**

**A/n: Okay, so the quotations marks were like backwards in the first chapter. And they stayed that way, no matter how many times I tried to fix them, which drove me nuts. Oh, well. So, hello. It's been…a while. And to anyone wondering, I _am_ writing the next chapter for _Clara Dawson_, but truth be told I'm having a bit of a block on the story at this moment, but I'm working on it. I don't want the chapter to sound rushed like a few of my more recent ones for the story have. Anyway, back to this story. Yeah, I was a bit anxious about the first chapter, but I'm over it and since I just read it over, I got the urge to update. So, here's the next chapter. I've had…158 hits, so let's see if I get any more reviews. And to the two amazing people that reviewed…thank-you so much for the high praise. It meant so much.**

**Onto Chapter Two. It's been a while since I've written a Chapter Two…**

**Oh, and Happy Almost-St. Patrick's Day!**

**Disclaimer: Okay, here we go: I own nothing _Titanic._ The end. There, that was simple.**

**Chapter Two**

_How was it that one simple song and constellations in a pitch black sky could keep you alive when you were so, so cold? Why did the air have to be so still with the silence of death? Why couldn't fate have been a little kinder, and somehow gotten them both on a life boat? Then they wouldn't be here with icicles coating their skin and hair, and close to death themselves. They would be safe with the promise that a future together awaited them. She had known how her future was going to be only a few short hours ago. A life spent living, and living that life spent with the man she loved so much it hurt. Now she knew nothing but that she must keep her eyes open; hold on until the boats came back. She had made a promise. The boats would come back soon; they had to. If-_

"_Hello, is anybody out there! Can anyone hear me!"_

_As if from a far distance, she heard the shout. It sounded more like a blurry echo to her, but she knew what it meant: help was coming. Energy she didn't know she had burst within her, and she turned to the love of her life, relieved that they were going to be okay after all._

"_Jack, there's a boat…" As she shook him to get his attention, he didn't move. He didn't even attempt to open his eyes. Stark terror clenched its fist around her heart. No, he couldn't be. No, no, no, no._

_She started to shake him violently; panicking._

"_Jack, Jack!" She shouted his name in a horse croak. Over and over and over again. Tears of despair filled her eyes; a thick lump lodged itself in her throat._

"_Jack, Jack…"_

"Jack!" Collette woke with a start as she bolted upright in bed. For a minute, she just sat there, disorientated. It had been a dream, she thought. Nothing but a dream. She shivered. It had been so real. She could still feel the icy wind on her skin and the man's frozen hand in her own. An outbreak of goose bumps spread over her arms, and she rubbed at them. She had Carter Jackson on the brain way too much. She was _dreaming_ about him now? It had been a week since the incident down on the Pier, and he still hadn't called. The practical side of her told her to just forget him, that he wasn't interested. But that side wasn't winning. She still periodically waited by the phone, hoping he'd call. So far all she'd gotten was a call back from _Dolche&Gabana._ She had an interview set up for next week. And she was expecting yet more call backs any time now, when the stores realized who she was. _The_ John Rose's heir wanted to work at _their_ store? Think of how much publicity it would bring!

They already gave her free clothes, so she could be seen wearing them those five days out of the week when she was photographed by the paparazzi. It was annoying, and if she wanted to she could afford to buy things straight from the runway. She wasn't the one that needed the free clothes; the people that didn't have any were. Not that that would ever happen in a million years. It was all business, she knew that. All those people cared about was raking in the cash, and _she_ could do that for them, not the homeless people they probably never gave a second thought to, anyway. She may seem like an ungrateful brat to the outside world, but Collette knew the way things worked. Her father's name alone could get her the moon if she wanted it. She hated the way society, especially in her inner circle, worked.

Collette looked at her clock and groaned. It was only five in the morning! She knew she was never going to get back to sleep now, no matter how hard she tried. She might as well just get up. Besides, it was time to pay a visit to the dolphins anyway.

Forty-five minutes later, Collette was showered, dressed in a wrap around sarong with her bikini underneath, and ready to go out the door. As she pulled out of the gated driveway of her father's overly extravagant mansion, she put her retro 60s sunglasses on and sped on down towards the beach.

& & &

The early morning summer air was already close to the eighties. The heat never bothered Collette; she had grown up with it. And besides, if it ever got too hot, she lived right by a beach. Swimming was one of her favorite things to do. Since she'd gotten over her fear of water, anyway. She was still working on the heights thing. There was no logical explanation as to why she'd been so afraid of water when she was little, or why she was afraid of heights now, but she just figured things like that happened sometimes. They didn't need reasonable explanations; they just _were._

Too bad she couldn't have that same attitude about the whole déjà vu, out-of-nowhere connection thing with Carter. That had been just a little _too_ out there for her. It was stuff she read about in books. It didn't happen in real life. Yet it _had_ happened between she and Carter Jackson that night, without rhyme or reason. Collette had never gotten déjà vu about anything but the Pier before. And that she'd been able to dismiss as a long buried childhood memory trying to make itself remembered. Oh, well. Come what may, she supposed.

The four dolphins were a few miles away from shore, happily chirping to each other and playing in the ocean's waves. A small smile played at Collette's full lips. They were the same four she always swam with every time she popped by for a visit. Happy, Dopey, Doc and Flipper is what she'd named each of them. Her top favorite dwarfs from _Snow White_, and Flipper had just seemed right for the one she'd given the name to. He liked being in the spot light, and Flipper had had his own show.

She undid her sarong and stuffed it into her tote bag, slipping out of her flip flops and doing the same thing with them. No one would be conscious enough just yet to come down to the beach and steal her things, so she left them as she ran towards the surf and dove right into an oncoming wave. She came up on the other side, and tossed her long braid over her shoulder. She alternated between the breast stroke and the butterfly as she made her way over to her family of dolphins.

Flipper was the first to greet her with a series of clicks and lots of tail slapping on the water. She reached out a hand and ran it over his dark skin. "Heya, boy."

She didn't really know which dolphin was male and which was female, but she assumed that Doc and Happy were the girls, considering how much smaller they were than Dopey and Flipper. She let out a laugh as the other three came up to greet her, and shrieked when Dopey gave her an unwanted shower when he sprayed a stream of water out of his blow hole.

She'd first met this particular pod of wild dolphins about two years ago, when she'd been out surfing one morning. At first she'd made sure to keep her distance. They were nice to look at, sure, but they were still _wild animals._ And you _technically_ weren't supposed to approach them on your own, anyway. Apparently they'd had other ideas because when she'd become separated from her board after falling off it of (typical Collette), they'd swum right up to her as she'd been searching for the wayward beginner's board. She didn't know why they'd done this, except for maybe she was just special like that. Since then, they'd practically become her best friends. The only friends she had that didn't have any hidden agendas. Sometimes she thought that made her sound like a candidate for a straight jacket.

After doing some wave frolicking and playing a game that resembled water tag with her companions, Collette started to feel her limbs grow tired. She'd grown out of surfing after one too many falls, but she almost wished she'd brought her old board along with her now. By the time she made it back to shore, she was going to feel like her entire body had been amputated. She thought for a minute, and her eyes lit up as she got an idea. She turned to the Energizer Bunny dolphins.

"Hey guys, what about a lift?" Flipper, the show off, came right up to her as if he'd understood every word she'd just spoken. She gave him an 'I know your agenda' look, and grabbed onto his dorsal fin. She knew he couldn't take her all the way to shore without getting beached, but he would bring her close enough. As she wobbled over to her tote bag on legs that still felt like they were treading water, she turned around to wave good-bye, not caring if she looked like a lunatic to anyone passing by.

"Don't you know you're not supposed to touch the dolphins?" Collette yelped and spun around like a _Disney World_ teacup, at the sound of a voice directly behind her.

"Carter!" She exclaimed, wide-eyed. For a minute she was so shocked to see him standing there bare-chested with dark sunglasses perched on top of his head, that she simply stared.

"Like what you see?" Collette felt herself blush as she punched him in the arm.

"Don't _do_ that!"

He laughed. "Sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

"Jogging. What else?"

"Right, stupid me." Silence reigned as they both stood there awkwardly, unsure of what else to say.

"Well, it was nice seeing you," Collette suddenly said, stepping around him.

"Wait, where you headed off to so fast?"

"Um…I have things to do. And thanks for the phone call, by the way," she threw over her shoulder as she started to walk away. Her heart was racing like a startled rabbit's. What was this guy _doing_ to her?

"Hold on," he said, grabbing her arm to prevent her from taking another step. "About that, I've been really busy, and-"

"Save it," she said, cutting him off. "I understand."

"I don't think you do understand."

"Look, I'm not dumb. I-"

"Will you just shut up for a minute?"

"Didn't I tell you not to tell me what to do? You hardly know me, first of all. And second of all…let go of my arm." Silence fell again as, with a sigh, Carter loosened his grip and Collette pulled free with a huff.

_Get a grip,_ she thought to herself. She was loosing her temper over a stupid _phone call._ Where had all of her Ice Queen hidden talents gone to? Out the window with her sanity, she supposed. He was just a guy. Just a strange guy she didn't know at all, at that. And yet, she felt like she'd known him for years. Maybe for forever. She never treated other strangers with this sense of familiarity. What made some dumb guy who didn't make promised phone calls, special?

"Look, my kid brother got sick and I had to stay with him. So, I'm sorry I never called when I gave every impression I would, but-"

She held up a hand. "Okay, I hope your brother's okay and everything, but you don't need to give me any explanations. I'll see you around."

It was better this way, she thought as she trudged her way through the sand, flinging her tote bag over her shoulder. Better to sever all ties with him now, before he did more than make her heart try and beat it's way out of her chest. Like break it. She wasn't looking to get involved with anyone, and especially not someone that sent her sacred composure scattering into the wind. She prided herself on being the master of calm around other people, but around him and the strange feelings he evoked after just two meetings, she knew that would be impossible. Change was something she craved, but not this kind of change. She couldn't afford to let anyone get close. She just couldn't.

Collette Rose was also afraid of loss.

"What are you, speed walking or somethin'? Wait up."

Collette wanted to ignore him, but she didn't. Couldn't. Something wouldn't let her. Instead, rather resignedly, she stopped walking and waited for him to catch up. "What?"

"Why are you bein' such a spoiled brat about the whole thing? I said I was sorry."

"Don't call me a spoiled brat, you jerk! I am not-"

"Yeah, you are. But, I guess I should've expected that, considering who you are."

Collette's tempter flared. How dared he? The arrogant little…

"Ow! What was that for?"

Collette sputtered as he rubbed at the shin she'd just kicked. He looked at her for an answer, and then promptly started to laugh at the look on her face.

He was _laughing_ at her! Of all the…

And then she started to laugh, too. They both laughed until they could hardly catch their breath.

"Oh my God! What are we doing?" Collette managed to gasp out.

"Bein' idiots, that's what. Look, I really am sorry-"

Collette waved him off. "It's okay. Really. You're still a jerk, though."

"And you're still a brat," he said with a lazy smile that made her pulse jump.

"So, you want to go for a run or somethin'? _But_ if you do, be warned. It'll be real running, none of that power walking stuff you were just doin'."

Collette grinned at him. "You mean I'll have to get sweaty and everything?"

"Yup, and keep up with me."

"Sounds like fun," she said, laughing dismissively.

"No, c'mon, we'll really do it. Or do you have somewhere else to be?"

Collette thought of the call backs she was supposed to be waiting by the phone for, as her father expected her to be since she'd been the one that wanted to work. But, she really didn't feel like stomaching all the falsely cheerful voices from all the designers and restaurant owners that were dying to get their hands on her, right now. They could wait. Things she _should_ be doing, and was _expected_ to do, could wait._ Should_ and _expected_ were the two words that ruled her life.

And forget all her stupid fears. With this boy, she knew that wouldn't be too hard. He had a magnetic presence about him. Even as he was scaring her to death at this very moment and making her want to hold onto her old scared self for dear life, he was also making her want to willingly throw her inhibitions aside.

Collette looked up at him and shook her head. "Nope, nothing else. Let's go, life guard boy. Bet you'll be eating my dust in a second."

They ended up spending the day together, riding the roller coaster repeatedly until they both felt sick and running around in the surf after they ate a lunch that consisted of fast food. And for just a little while, Collette forgot about all the shallow people in Santa Monica that she knew and the outdoors Pilates classes with the preening body builders and the paparazzi that never left her alone to just enjoy her time out and about. She forgot all this and just enjoyed the beautiful place that Santa Monica could be, if you just let it. The Santa Monica Carter Jackson helped her to see.

Strangely, the day felt like it was meant to be; like it was a long time in coming.

**A/n: Okay, so this chapter was totally rushed. I'm so going to add to it or something after I get a little sleep. In case you're wondering, it's like one in the freakin' morning, lol. If you have any suggestions, let me know.**


	3. Intentions

**The Second Time Around**

**A/n:**** Hiya, everyone! How's life? It's almost summer and I'm graduating in two weeks, so I finally have some down time to update. I want to thank RockPrincess18, Mya809, phoenixfire625, Starlight63, G.W. Failure and Bohemian Anne for their amazing reviews. Thanks so much you guys, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

**I would also like to send out my belated prayers and well wishes to everyone involved in the V-Tech tragedy not too long ago. God be with you all, and I wish you only the best.**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own anything **_**Titanic **_**or any tabloids either. Fin.**

**Chapter Three**

Being in the tabloids so often, Collette rarely paid attention to the spiel they printed about her anymore. And the times she did manage to catch a story, they more amused her than anything. Like the one that had said she'd had a secret love affair with an alien, and the little bit of weight she'd put on was really the alien's spawn she was carrying around inside her womb. Way to tell a girl you thought she needed to loose a few pounds!

But, after looking at the story on the front pages this morning, she was _pissed_.

She and Carter Jackson's images were plastered all over the place. It was only half a relief that he was labeled as 'Unidentified Male'--not that that'd last long. The media would be watching her from under a large, widespread microscope now. And she didn't really want to know how Carter was going to react to all of this.

"Lette, darling. Could you come here for a moment?" Collette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She _hated_ when her father called her Lette. He said it like 'Letti,' which made her sound like a milk cow. Moo.

Not that that would _ever_ occur to the pompous ass, who was only home seventy-five percent of the year and that was _if_ he was lucky, or generous, whichever way you looked at it. Her father taking time off from work was the equivalent to the paparazzi leaving her alone for a full week. Rare. She braced herself and straightened her shoulders, walking towards her father's study.

"Good morning, Father. And to what do I owe this heart to heart?" She couldn't help but be a little bitchy. It made her feel good to hit the smug bastard below the belt. Even though he never reacted.

"Don't be smart, Lette. I want to know what you know about this." Collette almost flinched in surprise when he smacked down a copy of _Esquire_ in front of her. What in the world? Her father had never acknowledged her relationship with the paparazzi hounds before. What made now so special?

"What do you mean, what do I know about this? You see me in the press nearly everyday, Father. It's hardly anything new."

He pointed to the blurry image of Carter sitting beside her on the roller coaster, preparing to head off. "Who is this boy?"

Collette eyed him strangely, looking for any signs of emotion on his wrinkled yet distinguished face. What was he on about? He never involved himself in her dating life either, and frankly it was none of his business, still seventeen or not.

"He's a friend, Father."

His nearly black eyes narrowed at her. "And you hold hands with all of your friends? Where did you meet him, Lette? And don't tell me at school because by the looks of him, even from a distance, I highly doubt--"

"What do you mean, 'by the looks of him'? I can hold hands with whomever I want to, no matter how he looks," Collette's cheeks were not only pink with anger but with embarrassment. Leave it to the stalkarazzi to catch the one time Carter held her hand during the whole day. And only then for a split second to help her down from a ride. She _wished_ it had been more than that, but it wasn't. And she shouldn't have to explain herself in the first place to anyone, least of all her father, king of neglective parents world wide.

"Lette, I don't have to tell you that people in our position, particularly in our family, have a reputation to uphold. Now, your partying can be expected, you're at that age. But, slumming with strange boys will cast you in a very different light. I can't imagine what your mother would say if she saw these photos--"

"Don't you _dare_ speak about Mother, you pathetic excuse for a--" Stop right there. Collette fought tooth and nail to regain her composure. She _would not _finish that sentence. She _would not _give him that satisfaction. She should have known what this was all about as soon as he'd opened his mouth. Her father always treated her like an acquaintance unless something that was life or death to him was threatened. Reputation of any sort was number one on John Rose's list of Most Important Things. No wonder he'd decided to acknowledge her as daughter this morning. His prized pet was not following protocol: status means everything. Who you were seen with determined your reputation, just as much as about a million other things, like how many over-the-top cars you owned.

Collette didn't give a damn about any of it, especially at that moment. It was bad enough that he actually believed the tabloids about her out-of-control partying ways. But, how _dare_ he talk about her mother? How dare he even _think_ about her? And how _dare_ he talk about Jack? _No one_ was going to take him away from her again, least of all this…

Wait. Jack?

There she went again with that strange name. Didn't she mean Jackson? As in, _Carter_ Jackson? Not Jack; Carter.

"Throwing a tantrum will get you nowhere, Lette. Now, if you cannot speak to me about this like an adult…" Collette's focus snapped back to the situation at hand, and she immediately tuned her father's lecture out. She'd heard it all the times before when she'd dared to speak up to him. If you couldn't understand that it was his way or the highway and nothing less was acceptable, then don't bother being in his presence. That was one reason they'd always clashed, even when she was young. He didn't intimidate her.

"Look, Father," she cut him off mid-sentence. "I am not going to fight with you about him anymore. He's a friend, a _good_ friend, and I'll keep seeing him for as long as our friendship lasts. You have no right to judge him, let alone anyone, from a crappy photo. And--"

"Invite him to dinner."

Collette stared dumbly at the man now watching her carefully, mouth open. "_What?_"

"Invite him to the dinner party we're having with my business associates this weekend. If he's as _good_ as you say he is, then surely I'll see that for myself? And then I'll have nothing more to say in the matter."

When her father threw the tabloid into the waist basket and began typing on his laptop, Collette knew she'd been dismissed and that for now the matter was closed. Still too stunned to say anything, she walked to the door. With one last glance around his darkly furnished office with the bright green ferns the maid watered everyday like clockwork, she walked back into the kitchen to make herself breakfast.

Whatever her father's intentions were with this unexpected invitation, she knew they were not pure. And she didn't like the uneasy chill that that knowledge sent down her spine.

& & &

It had taken nearly half the day to find it, but she was finally here. Collette fought down the urge to speed away and come back another time as she took her key out of the ignition. Maybe she shouldn't be doing this. She didn't _have_ to do it. But, if she didn't invite Carter to dinner then that would be as good as proving her father right about him. And he _wasn't_ right about Carter, not by a long shot.

She got out of the car and leaned against her door for a moment, taking in the house before her. It was small, and not just by her standards but about half the population of Santa Monica's as well. It definitely wasn't new, but it was in good condition, not even a bit run down. The grass in the yard was browning but it looked like it had been trimmed by a professional (She would know, she could spot quality a mile off.) and a shiny candy apple red boy's bicycle lay haphazardly on the front walk, which was completely free of any other debris and a perfect marble-stone white. There were no other signs of life on the outside and if it hadn't been for the bike she would have suspected no one lived there. And the front door definitely needed a wreath or something, she decided as she walked up to it and knocked softly. One that would complement the plain beige the place was painted in. Maybe she would bring one by the next time she visited.

Unless it would offend Mrs. Jackson. Which it probably would. And the last thing Collette wanted to do was overstep her boundaries. Oh, God, what if she was overstepping her boundaries now, showing up here at Carter's home out of the blue? He'd probably not told her where he lived for a reason. He probably didn't _want_ her here. He'd really only seen her in person twice, afterall.

It took her one mortified second to turn around and start heading back to her car. Just her luck that the door would open at that second and a little voice would stop her in her tracks.

"Hi. Where are you going?"

Collette turned around to say she had the wrong house or something, but when she saw the face of the owner of the little voice, she practically melted. He was so, so cute! He looked like a spiky-haired, chubby-cheeked, blue-eyed little cherub!

"Oh…I was just looking at this bike here. Is it yours?"

The little cherub nodded. "Mhmm. It's for my birthday. I turned this many last week," he held up five chubby little fingers. Collette's smile was automatic. How could any kid be so adorable? She just wanted to run over and squeeze him, he was so cute.

"Really? Wow, that's a lot. That's pretty cool that you already ride a two-wheeler. I didn't learn till I was _eight_!"

He beamed at the praise, his blue eyes sparkling like sapphires in afternoon sun. "I didn't even need anyone to hold onto my handle bars! I did it all by myself!"

"Wow, that's _very_ brave."

The boy puffed his chest out a little and did a Superman-esque pose. Collette melted again. "Yup, that's what my brother said. _He_ didn't learn till he was _nine_! He was old! My name is Brett Jackson. What's yours? I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, my brother says so."

Collette was amazed at the speed the kid had changed subjects. Did they all do that? She was still on the part where Carter had learned to ride a two- wheeler. She'd figured this was the kid brother he'd mentioned when she'd seen the blue eyes. She'd only ever seen one other person with eyes that distinctive shade of blue.

"Well, he's right. You shouldn't. It can be dangerous. My name is Collette Rose, but you can call me C.J.--all my friends do."

"But there's no 'J' in your name!"

She leaned down so she could whisper in Brett's ear. "My middle name is Jasmine. But, shh, not a lot of people know that. So keep it a secret, okay?"

Actually, her middle name _was_ public knowledge, it just wasn't widely known and rarely mentioned. Collette Rose was more _Hollywood_. Short and very, very sweet. According to the stalkarazzi, anyway. And the only person that had ever called her C.J. was her mother. She had no idea why she'd told him to call her that. It was painful to hear.

"Okay, C.J. I'll keep it a secret. Why are you here?"

Jeez, kids could be so blunt sometimes. "I actually came to see Carter. Is he home?"

"You know my brother? Cool! He's in the shower right now, but he's gonna be done soon. Wanna come in? I'm done playing outside today."

She hesitated for a moment; the whole over-stepping thing. But, when Brett opened the door and stood waiting for her she followed him.

The inside of the house was just like the outside--obviously well cared for but otherwise rather bare. There were a few pictures on the walls, but not much else. No small touch of feminine style, which Collette thought was odd considering what natural nesters all females were. Not one female she knew would be able to stand the plain off-white walls and bare tables, that much she knew. So, either Mrs. Jackson was blind or something else was amiss. Maybe she was on vacation or something? Well, the men of the family were taking good care of the place at least; everything was practically sterile. Maybe a little _too_ sterile. Carter had mentioned one brother and his parents a few times so she knew a family lived here, but it didn't _look_ like one did. The place was closer to a hospital in looks than a family home. She would know; she lived in a place like that herself.

It looked, as Brett brought her into the living room she could see from the front hall, like there were three bedrooms, no visible bathrooms (They were probably attached to the rooms. She had one at home in her wing like that.) and a kitchen with a door inside that most likely led to the small one-car garage she'd spotted outside.

It was hard to imagine this as a full home--her bedroom was the size of the entire house. She couldn't imagine living in a place the size of her bedroom--she could _do_ it, of course--it would be a bit of a culture shock. She'd been raised in a mansion that could probably fit some major New York buildings in it (She'd compared measurements before.) and once again she found herself thinking what a waste it was. They didn't even use most of the place. It was only she, her father (on occasion) and the housekeepers (plural because the place was too big for one person to maintain) and the gardeners and some other maintenance people who lived on the grounds in houses a bit bigger than even Carter's. Wow.

She sat down on the huge comfy sofa next to Brett and watched his cartoons tolerantly, waiting for Carter to come out. A picture on the coffee table caught her attention, and she picked it up to take a closer look. In it was a middle-aged man and woman, one with wheat blond hair and the other with Brett's soft brown, and an infant version of Brett and a some-what younger Carter, who looked about fifteen. They were all smiling wide smiles and even their eyes seemed to be grinning. Carter's own eyes were sparkling in a way she'd only seen them do a few times since she'd known him. Most of the time they were alert and full of life, but they didn't have that perpetual shine to them like in this picture. Why was that?

"Twerp, where's my razor? I told you not to--" Carter halted in mid-step as he came into the living room, his face contorting in astonishment as he spotted Collette. That's when Collette's gaze automatically moved from his own to travel down his body like she'd enjoyed doing more than a few times since running into him at the beach, and she noticed he was clad in nothing but a towel! Her breath caught, and her gaze flew back up to his as her cheeks started to burn, and it took a second for either of them to react. But, when they did it was like the room had suddenly caught fire. Collette stood up and covered her eyes so fast that she dropped the picture frame, and whipped around, shrieking,

"Oh, my God!"

And Carter nearly dropped the towel as he made a B-line for the bathroom.

Brett only looked around in the midst of it all, confused, as his eyes asked what the big deal was?

When Carter was gone, Collette sat back down as if her legs could no longer support her, hands still pressed tightly to her eyes. How _mortifying_! She felt herself blush again at the thought of the horrifying scene. And she turned even redder at the thought in the back of her mind that the scene hadn't been _that_ mortifying. He'd actually looked amazing! Either way, she knew the image of Carter standing in front of her bare-chested and with nothing but a towel slung carelessly around his waist would never leave her head for as long as she lived. Kind of like that image of him with his hair in his eyes, as he looked at her like he could see into her soul over his sketch pad. Sudden confusion at her own thoughts wrinkled Collette's brow. She'd never seen Carter drawing. Did he even draw? What the hell was going on with her lately? She kept remembering things she'd never experienced. Was going crazy genetic? she worried.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting company." As the sound of Carter's warm and smooth voice washed over her, Collette's scattered thoughts seized. She looked up at him as he came back into the room with his still-damp hair, and wondered how a guy could be so beautiful, and make her heart race in nervousness just as much as excitement.

She stood up and offered an apologetic smile to his embarrassed but still lazy one. God, she was coming to love that lazy smile and the way it made her feel. "Not your fault. I'm the one that showed up here unannounced."

"Speaking of which, what _are_ you doing here?"

"I let C.J. in when she wasn't a stranger anymore! After she told me her name!"

Carter bent down to his brother's level and ruffled his hair. "We'll have to talk about the logic of that statement later. Go outside and lock your bike up, so _C.J._ and I can talk, alright buddy?"

Brett looked from one person to another, wanting to know what they were going to talk about but knowing they wouldn't talk till he was gone, and then ran outside. When the screen door had slammed shut behind him, Carter stood up and looked down at Collette.

"C.J.?"

"Long story," she smiled. "It's a nickname."

Carter nodded. "Well, pardon me if I decide not to call you that. Collette suits you better."

Collette's skin tingled as the flirting tone of his words shimmered over her. She decided to downplay the situation. She could already feel the electricity crackling between them, and it still made her a little uneasy. Despite how much she liked it. "Why, thank-you. The stalkarazzi population agrees with you whole-heartedly."

Carter laughed and she had to look away. The sight of his laughing face brought with it too many bittersweet feelings. Something she still couldn't understand. She bent down and picked up the frame she had dropped, looking at it for a moment before handing it over to Carter. "Hope I didn't do any permanent damage to it. It's a beautiful photo. You look just like your father."

Carter's eyes had become a little less bright again. Collette observed him as he stared down at the photo in his hand with something like sadness on his features, and then set it back down in its original place. "It's okay. No harm done."

He turned his back to her with a sigh and ran a hand across the back of his neck. It took a second for him to turn around again, and Collette got the distinct feeling that he was trying to collect himself. But, why?

"So, what are you doing here again?" He asked with a smile that seemed a little forced.

Collette stepped closer to Carter, wanting to absorb whatever was wrong with him and make him smile again. She looked up into his eyes, and shot him a wide white-toothed grin. She might as well ask, even if he said didn't want to see her anymore after the stunt the paparazzi had pulled.

"I came to invite you to dinner."

But before she could gauge his reaction, a loud cry from outside had them both jumping, and Carter dashing for the front yard.

**A/n:**** Okay, so call this a filler if you want. I just wanted to introduce some people in this chapter. And I got a little blocked towards the end…so sorry if it didn't really seem to go anywhere. I'm going to work on it again a little later, but for now I just want to post it. Please let me know what you think!**

**-Rory4**


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